Auger mining system

Abstract

A mining apparatus 10 to mine coal from a seam 11 . The apparatus 10 includes a continuous miner 12 to form a mine road 13 . Extending along the road 13 is a conveyor 15 having a forward end 20 to which the mined material from the continuous miner 12 is delivered. The apparatus 10 further includes an auger mining machine that advances an auger drill string 28 into the coal seam 11 in a direction generally normal to the road 13 , with the mined material also being delivered to the conveyor 15.

The claims defining the invention are as follows:  
     
       1. A mining apparatus including: 
       a conveyor to extend along a mine road to convey mined material there along from a forward end to a rearward end of the conveyor;  
       an auger mining machine positioned adjacent the conveyor to mine material by forming tunnels extending generally normal to the conveyor and to deliver the mined material to said conveyor at a position spaced from said forward end towards said rear end and;  
       a hopper at said forward end to receive material mined in forming said road.  
     
     
       2. The mining apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said conveyor includes: 
       a pan upon which the mined material rests to be conveyed towards said rearward end by a chain assembly; and  
       said auger mining machine includes:  
       an auger base providing a cradle to support a plurality of auger string segments;  
       a motor and drive assembly mounted on said auger base to engage and drive an auger string to form the tunnels, the string being formed from a plurality of said string segments;  
       a boom assembly to transport said segments and being mounted on the auger base;  
       said boom assembly including a boom member movable in a direction generally parallel to said conveyor between an extended position and a retracted position to transport said segments between said cradle and said assembly so that the auger strings can be assembled and disassembled.  
     
     
       3. The mining apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said pan passes beneath said auger mining machine so that mined material provided by the auger mining machine falls to said pan. 
     
     
       4. The mining apparatus of  claim 2  said auger base includes: 
       a first base and a second base portion, with said cradle being provided by said second base portion; and  
       said motor and drive assembly is a first drill head, which first drill head is mounted on said first base portion;  
       said auger mining machine includes a second motor and drive assembly being a second drill head, which second drill head being mounted on said second base portion; and wherein  
       said boom assembly transports the segments between said cradle and drill heads so that tunnels may be formed simultaneously or singularly, with the material mined thereby falling tos aid pan.